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An Assemblies for Democracy meeting 10th May 2016 at the House of Commons, Westminster

Report by Julie Timbrell/Peter Arkell; Photos Peter Arkell

Designing Democracy for the 21st Century was called by Assemblies for Democracy, to talk about why we need a constitutional convention, and to consider how we design one that will have the best outcome for citizens. Energy has been building for a citizens-led convention that looks critically at the present broken UK constitution and comes forward with proposals for democratic change amongst democracy groups, social justice campaigners, citizens and progressive parties. The Green party has called for one, and Jon Trickett, the shadow minister for the constitutional convention, supports the idea. King’s College, University of London, is drafting a proposal to create and run a convention. This event was called to bring experts on designing conventions, democracy groups and citizens together to learn more about the process such a citizen-led convention could look like. Continue reading →

The Purpose and Process of a Constitutional Convention – read the detailed results of a survey conducted by Assemblies for Democracy London. Those consulted included participants at the May 10 meeting at Parliament plus members of the Assemblies for Democracy planning group. It reveals a thought-provoking and wide range of views on what a convention should be about and how people might be consulted.

Here are the results which reveal both a common purpose and a wide range of ideas: Survey2016

DemFest 2016 was a 2-day celebration and discussion of democratic ideas. A wide range of people and groups assembled in the Flintshire countryside, with workshops and speakers looking at the crisis of democracy, and the alternatives.

It was held in Gladstone’s Library, a unique residential library in Hawarden, and co-organised by the library, the Raymond Williams Foundation and The Democratic Society. Continue reading →

Calls for a convention on the constitution, which emerged strongly in 2014 around the time of Scotland’s independence referendum, have taken on a new lease of life since last year’s general election. They are driven by a growing recognition that system-level change is needed if we are to tackle the pile-up of policies that are attacking the citizenry from every conceivable angle. And there is a clear recognition that the process should be citizen-led if the outcomes of a convention are to have real significance. Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow communities minister, whose brief includes the constitutional convention, put forward a bold proposal for an independent process at a Democracy Day event organised by Compass earlier this year.

Four members of Swansea’s A4D planning group travelled on Saturday 19th March to Cardiff’s Senedd – the home of the National Assembly for Wales. They’d been invited to take part in a special day of events celebrating the end of the first phase of the National Theatre of Wales’ 3-year long Big Democracy Project. Continue reading →

Here are the decisions of the Citizens Convention on the Constitution planning group held on January 30.

1) Following the Democracy Day organised by Compass, which five members of our planning group attended, we will take up Compass’ invitation to be part of a group to work with Jon Trickett MP on proposals for a constitutional convention.

2) We will pursue the possibility of a separate meeting with Jon Trickett.

We are attending both meetings with Trickett in our capacity as an independent, autonomous group.

3) We will plan “Fun Days” in different parts of the UK as exercises in working towards citizens constitutional convention.

Following our Assembly in London on November 14, a planning group was created to continue work on plans for a Citizens Convention on the Constitution. The first meeting was held on December 12. A second meeting on January 9 agreed the following principle and aims:

Principle: “We affirm the democratic principle that power should rest with the people”

Aims

i) campaign for a Citizens Convention on the Constitutionii) work with other campaigns, organisations & individuals on practical steps that lead to the holding of a Conventioniii) launch a citizen/people-led constitutional democratic process

Here are the notes from our the January 9 meeting which was facilitated by Julie and Andy.17 people attended. Apologies from Martha, Malcolm, Susan, Frances, Fiona, Adnan, Gloria. Continue reading →